Improved corn-planter



W. E. GHESNEY.

Corn-Planter.

Patented Mar. 7. 1865.

Witnesses= AM. PHOTO-LITHD. C0. N-Y. (OSBORNES PROCESS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrrca W. E. OHESNEY, OF ABINGDON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED CORN-PLANTER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,637, dated March 7, 1865.

' panying drawings,making a part of this specification,'in which- Figure 1 is a side sectional view of my invention, taken in the line at m, Fig. 3; Fig. 2, a front sectional view of the same, taken in the line 3 3 Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan or top view of the same.

, Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The invention consists in a novel means for adjusting the furrow-shares so that the same may be elevated above the surface of the earth, or retained at a greater or less height according to the depth of furrow required, the parts being so arranged as to admit of the driver or dropper adjusting the shares with the greatest facility.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

Arepresents the frame of the machine, which is of rectangular form and mounted on three wheels, B B B. The wheels B B are at the back part of the frame A, one at each side of it, and the wheel B has its axle in a fork at the back end of a bar,0, the front end of which is connected to the center of a cross-bar, a, of the frame A by a bolt, 1), the bar 0 being allowed to turn ireely on the bolt 1), and working in a guide, 0, at the under side of the back cross-bar, d, of the frame A.

D is the drivers seat, which is supported by posts 6, attached to the back cross-bar, d, of the frame A, and E is thedroppers seat, which is attached to the cross-bar a and across-bar, a, in front of and parallel with a, said droppers seat being between the wheels B B. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

F F represent the seed-boxes, which are fitted between two longitudinal and parallel bars, 1 g, at each side of the frame A. These seedboxes are allowed to slide or work freely up and down between said bars, and they are attached to the back ends of furrow-shares G G, which are curved similar to sled-runners,

as .s'hown clearly in Fig. 1. The front ends of the shares G G are connected by joints h h to the front cross-bani, of the frame A, and at the back end of each furrow-share there is a seed-con veying spout, H, and these spouts are in line with holes in a slide, I, when said holes are by the movement of the slide brought in proper position to disch arge theseed which they contain. The slide I is perforated with two holes near each end, the ends of the slide working in the seed-boxes F F. This slide Iis worked or operated by a lever, J, by a person on the seat E, commonly termed a dropper.

.The seed-dropping arrangement is precisely similar to the ordinary plans, in which a reciprocating slide is used for the purpose, and

it therefore-does not require a special description.

The upper parts of the seed-boxes FFare connected by a bar, K, which is above the frame A, and rests upon spiral springs j j, attached to the inner bars, 9, at the sides of the frame A. These springs j have a tendency to keep the bar K and the furrow-shares G G elevated, so that the latter will be above the surface of the earth L L represent two cams, which are fitted on staples k k, driven one in the inner bar, 9, at each side of the frame A, and over the bar K. These cams may be described as being of pearshape, as shown in Fig. 2, and they are connected by rods l l to a lever, M, which has its fulcrum min an upright, n, at the center of bar K. The rods 1 l are connected to the leverM at opposite sides of its fulcrum m, as shown in Fig. 2.

. N is a curved or segment bar, having teeth or notches 0 at one side of it to hold the lever Min different positions. By moving this lever M in the direction indicated'by arrow 1 the bar K and the back parts of the furrow-shares Gr G will be forced down a greater or less distance, according to the adjustment of said lever, and the furrow-shares made to penetrate into the earth to a greater or less depth, as may be desired. When the lever. M is freed from the notched bar N, the springs jj will force the bar K and furrow-shares G G upward, so

that the latter will be above the surface ofthe earth. The frame A is held in a firm position to admitof this adjustment of the furrow-shares in consequence of the drivers and droppers A, and the wheel 13 extending some distance back at the rear of the machine. The front part of the frame A by this arrangement is prevented from tilting under the action of the springsj or cams L L.

The lever M may be operated either by the driver or dropper, and the furrow-shares adjusted' with the greatest facility withoutthe necessity ofthe operator getting otf from the machine. In consequence of having the wheel B arranged as shown the machine may be turned with the greatest facility, as said wheel is allowed to adjust itself to the direction of the movement of the machine. a

I would remark that I design to have the edges of the furrow-shares Gr provided with cutters p for the purpose of cutting weeds and seats D E being at the back part of the frame I trash which may lie in their path, and thereby insure a perfect operation of the furrow-shares.

I do not claim the reed-dropping mechanism, for that is old and well known; neither do I claim the cutters 19, attached to the furgow-shares, for they have been previously used;

Having thus described my invention, what I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The cams L L and lever M, in combination with the bar K, seed-boxes F F, and springsjj, all arranged to operate as herein set forth.

'W. E. GHESNEY;

Witnesses:

S. H. RITGHEY, J O. CHESNEY, 

